Nostalgia and yearning are feelings that sit comfortably within the hearts of most Gen Z readers and listeners, especially during the long, hot, rainy summers in Hong Kong. This week, T&C’s Editors are bringing you a list of their favourite melancholic tunes. Songs that feel like a memory, and in some cases, sound like one, too.
JASMIN’S PICK
‘iPod Touch’ by Ninajirachi is an upbeat electronic hyperpop song that was released in June 2025, but recently re-emerged on social media after Ninajirachi’s debut set at Coachella 2026. As the second track of her incredible debut album, I Love My Computer, ‘iPod Touch’ introduces a sense of childlike wonder that makes you reminisce on what the world was like before USB-C cables and online streaming. It sounds like your old-friend Tamagotchi gained sentience and learnt how to sing. It sounds like high school, beach days, heatwaves, and everything else that Ninajirachi describes in her song — the perfect hit for a long summer day.
HEPSI’S PICKS
Featured in the hit Northern Irish sitcom ‘Derry Girls,’ the single ‘Dreams’ by The Cranberries was originally released in 1990 as a demo under the band’s original name, The Cranberries Saw Us. Its rounded beats, softer pace, and classic Irish lilt combine to tell a story of disconnection, growing up, and feeling like your life is just flying by — the reality of missing that simple feeling of youth and lamenting a whirlwind of memories. ‘Dreams’ was written by Dolores O’Riordan, the famous lead singer and frontwoman of the Irish alternative rock band The Cranberries. After decades, it has become an anthem for the Irish people as hundreds gathered to sing the tune in Guildhall Square, Ireland, during the 10th anniversary of the City of Derry International Choir Festival in 2023.
KAT’S PICKS
The last song on BLACKPINK JENNIE’s debut solo album RUBY titled ‘twin,’ is a simple yet emotional ballad that captures the hope of closure and beauty without complication. For Kat, nostalgia is a feeling rather than a place — it’s the memory of warm soup at your mother’s friend’s house, or a bittersweet goodbye to an important life chapter — and there are layers to it that come through in the soft vocals and dreamy melody of ‘twin.’ Released in 2025, JENNIE has previously stated in interviews that ‘twin’ is her “most personal” song on the album — a love letter to an old friendship that drifted apart; a love letter to summer and all the summers that have passed.
